New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1887-02-02
COURTING IN MEXICO.
The Peculiar Methods 81 Which GAY Young Hen
Win Their Wives.


The Peculiar Methods 81 Which GAY Young Hen.
Win Their Wives.
Correspondence OF the Pittsburgh Dispatch.
The laws OF Mexico claim girls at L.
and boys at ID years are eligible to
marriage, and it is not an unusual
sight to see a woman, who looks no
more than 35, a great-grandmother.
AS children, the Mexicans are rather
pretty; but when a girl passes 20 she
gets 'tmucho mucho' avoirdupois, and
at 80 she sports a mustache and "gal-
ways" that would cause young bache-
.lors in the States to turn green with
envy. The men, on the contrary,
are slim and wiry, and do not
boast on their hirsute charms
especially when in company with
women, as they have little desire to
call attention to the contrast, and
the diamond ring finds other means Of
display than stroking and twisting
an imaginary moustache. Yet this ex-
change OF charms inteferes in no way
with. love making, and the young man
waits sweet kisses from his finger tips
to the fair-no, dark-damsel, and
enjoys itas much as if the black silky
down on her lip were fringing the
gateway to his stomach.
Boys and girls, even in babyhood,
are not permitted to be together. Be
fore very long they compel their eyes
to speak the love their lips dare not
tell, and with little practice it is
surprising how much they can say
and how cold and insipid sound words
OF the same meaning in comparison.
All the counting is done on the street.
When evening kindly lends it's shelter
ing cloak, even though the moon
smiles full-faced at the many love
scenes she is witnessing, the girl opens
her easement window, and, with gui-
tar in her hand or dreamily watching
the stars, she awaits her lover. II
her room is on the ground floor she is
in paradise, for then they can con-
verse-he can even touch her hand
through the bars. But if she is con
signed to a room above she steps out
on the balcony. If the distance is not
too great they can still converse, but
otherwise, with the aid ofpencil, paper
and tiny cards, they manage to spend
the evening blissfully without burning
papa's coal and gas and staying up
until unseemly hours.
The lovers are unmindful of the peo-
pie who pass and repass, and the kind
hearted policeman never even thinks
OF telling the young man to "move
on" If the house is secluded the low
er tells his devotion in musical strains.
Night is only devoted to love-making,
but in the broad light of day the lover
will stand across the street, and from
the partly-opened easement of the fair
one are visible hand and nose of
course, she has full view, but that is
all that can be seen of her. With the
hand they converse in the deaf and
dumb language, which, added to their
own signs, makes a large dictionary.
1t is not likely there exists q Mexican
who is not an adept in the sign Ian
guage. Counting is too vulgar word
for them, SO they call it.-translated
in English-playing the bear
You would naturally wonder how a
girl who never leaves her mothers or
chaperone's side, who never goes to
parties, who is watched like a con-
den,ned murderess, would get lover,
but notwithstanding all this strictness
they number less old maids and more
admirers than their sisters in the
states. Perhaps while out driving, at
the theatre or bull-fghts, they see
man they think they would like. He
is similarly impressed. He follows his
new-found one home and she knows
enough to be on the balcony awaiting
his arrival with the shades of night.
He might play the bear with her for a
year and she not know his name. He
has the advantage, for he can find out
all about her family, and thereby de-
termine if she is desirable bride or
not.
Sometimes they play the bear from
seven to fifteen years-that is, if the
parents are wealthy-and even then
not get the girl, for with all their pas
slonate love they number many hirts.
Often one girl will have two or more
playing the bear at the same time
If they chance to meet they inquire
freely, Whom are you after?'' Ii
the answer demonstrates the same
girl one will request the other to step
aside. If he refuses duel follows.
After that the girl is bound, by the
custom OF her country, to relinquish
both. II a brother orfather discovers
a "bear," the latter must submit to a
thrashing from their hands if he still
desires to retain the girls love. Ii a
father notices the attention OF a ssbear'
and looks with favor upon him he does
not disturb his playing" When he
concludes he has served long enough
he is invited into the house. This
means the same as if he had asked
her hand in marriage and has been
accepted. Heis theintended husband,
but never FOR a moment is he alone.
with his fancee- He may aspire to
take the drivers place sometimes, or
to take the entire family to the thea
ter.
A young American had been received
r